Window operator



D. N. JEWETT WINDOW OPERATOR y Dec. 18, 1956 2 Shets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 2. 1952 INVENToR ecze 77. Jw'e BY @MM ATTORNS v WINDOW OPERATOR Deane N. Jewett, Fraser, Mich., assignor to I )etroit Hardware Manufacturing Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application September 2, 1952, Serial No. 307,520

2 Claims. (Cl. 268-105) This invention relates to window operators and, in particular, to such operators for outwardly-projecting swinging pivoted windows.

One object of this invention is to provide a window operator for outwardly-projecting swinging windows which will eliminate the dangers inherent in the use of rigid operating bars which project dangerously from the plane of the window opening, and also make diiiicult the tting of screens and the barring of insects.

Another object of the invention is to provide a window operator of the foregoing character which will eliminate the necessity for using swivel tracks, swivel housings, widened slots or the like as presently employed with rigid window operating bars to adapt the rectilinear motion of the bar to the arcuate motion of the edge of the window remote from its pivot.

Another Object is to provide a window operator of the foregoing character wherein the whole `or a part of the window thrust bar consists of a relatively thin but suici'ently strong exible member which bends automatically into arcuate shape as the window moves outward from the plane of the window opening, compensating for the difference between the arcuate path of the pivoted swinging window and the rectilinear path of the inner end of the window thrust bar.

Another object is to provide a window operator of the foregoing character with a ilexible thrust bar of spring steel or the like which is adaptable to the operation of either steel frame or wooden frame windows.

Other Objects and vadvanta-ges of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description of the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a rear elevation of an outwardly-swinging win-dow equipped with a window operator and flexible thrust bar according to one form of the invention in which the outer end of the thrust bar slidably engages the window, with a portion thereof broken away to conserve space and another portion broken away to reveal portions of the mechanism otherwise hidden;

Figure 2 is a horizontal section taken along the line 2-2 in Figure l, with the window swung partly open, showing the window-thrust bar and its actuating mechanism in top plan view;

Figure 3 is a vertical cross-section taken along the line 3 3 in Figure 2, but with the window swung still further outward;

Figure 4 is a horizontal section similar to Figure 2 but showing a modification in which a part only of the thrust bar is of flexible construction and in which the inner end of the thrust bar slidably engages a track on the window frame or window sill;

Figure 5 is a vertical section taken along the line 5-5 in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a top plan view of a further modiied thrust bar for use with the window operator shown in Figures l to 3 inclusive;

nited States Patent O s 2,7 74,591 Patented Dec. 18, 1956 "ice Figure 7 is a side elevation of the window thrust bar shown in Figure 6; and

Figure 8 is :a cross-section taken along the line 8-8 in Figure 4.

Hitherto, outwardly-projecting swinging windows have been actuated by window operators including a swinging arm connected to a rigid thrust bar, together with mechanism for compensating for the change in position of the bar as the edge of the window remote from its pivot axis swings outward. Where the window has been operated by grasping or pushing upon this rigid thrust bar directly, one end of the bar has projected rearwardly from the plane of the window opening so as to be dangerous to passersby, as well as to make the tting of screens difficult. The present invention provides a window operator wherein the thrust bar, instead of being rigid, is either exible in whole or in part, so that the bar ilexes or bends as the window swings outward in its larcuate path, thereby compensating for the arcuate swing of the window.

Referring to the drawings in detail, Figure l shows an outwardly-projecting swinging window assembly, generally designated 10, consisting generally of a window frame 11 fitted into the building structure and a window 12 swinging into and out of the plane of the window frame 11 so as to open or close the opening 13 in the frame 11. The frame 11 is formed from either wood or metal, metal being shown in the drawings for convenience, and is of open rectangular shape. Riveted or otherwise secured to the window frame 11 is an angle bracket V14 carrying a pivot pin 15 which pivotally supports an angle bracket 16 (Figure 3) which in turn is riveted or otherwise secured to the rectangular structure 17 forming the border of the window 12 and carrying the transparent window pane 18 extending across the opening 19 and held in position by the vsealing material 19a (Figure 2).

The window 12 is swung outward and inward by a window operator, generally designated 20, according to one form Of the present invention. Secured as at 21 to the lower portion of the window frame 11 is the hollow housing 22 of a gear box 23 forming the actuating unit of the window operator 20 and having a boss 24 bored as at 25 to receive a shaft 26. Pinned or otherwise secured to the shaft 26 at its outer end outside the housing 22 is a hand crank 27. Drivingly secured to the inner end of the shaft 26 within the housing 22 is a gear 28. The gear 28, depending upon the type Of gearing used, may be the helical gear shown, or a bevel gear, a worm gear, or an ordinary pinion. The gear 28 meshes with teeth 29 forming the quadrant gear portion 30 on the hub 31 of the swinging window operating arm 32 which is pivotally mounted upon the pivot pin 33 which is supported by and extends vertically across the chamber 34 within the housing 22 and is seated at one or both ends in the walls of the latter.

The outer end of the operating arm 32 is drilled and countersunk to receive a headed pivot pin 36 by which it is connected to approximately the midportion of a flexible or resilient thrust bar 37 which is drilled for that purpose. The operating bar 37 is preferably of spring steel or similar resilient material and its inner end is drilled to receive the axle 40 of an inner roller or slider 41 which travels in the elongated T-slot 42 of an inner guide track or guide-way 43 (Figures l and 3). The web or bottom of the guide track 43 is secured as at 44 to the Window frame 11.

The outer end of the thrust bar 37 is likewise drilled to receive the axle 45 of a similar outer roller or slider 46 (Figure 3) which similarly travels to and fro in the elongated T-slot 47 of an outer guide track or guide-way 48 secured as at 49 to the underside of the window border structure 17. The window frame 11 is slotted or otherwise provided with an elongated opening t? for the passage of the swinging window-operating arm 32 (Figure 2).

In the operation of the window operator 20, let it be assumed that the window 12 is in its closed position substantially coincident with |the plane of the window frame 11 and closing the opening y13 therein. In this position, the thrust bar 37 is substantially straight and lies above and substantially parallel with the inner guide track 41. To swing the window y12 outward around its pivot pins 15, the user turns the crank 27 in such a direction as to rotate 4the gear 28 meshing with the quadrant gear 3u and thereby swing the window operating arm 32 in an arcuate path and in a -clockwise direction. As the pivot pin 36 attached to the end of the operating arm 32 swings through an arcuate path outwardly in a clockwise direction around the pivot pin 33 of the arm 32, it pulls along with it the tlexible thrust bar 37. As the window 12 swings outward around its pivot pins (Figure 3), the outer guide track 47 mounted on the lower edge of the -window border structure 17 swings upward out of the horizontal plane which it had previously occupied in the closed posi-tion of the window 12, causing the outer roller 46-likewise to move upward and thereby ybending the outer end of the thrust bar `37 upward into the arcuate shape shown in Figure 3.

Meanwhile, as lthe window 12 swings outward `in this manner, lt-he motion of the window thrust bar 37 -to the right (Figure 2) causes the inner roller 41 to travel to the right alo-ng the T-slot 42 in the inner guide ytrack 43. As the thrust bar 37 is swung outward at the end of the opera-ting arm 32, its outer roller 46 travels to the right along the T-slot 47 of the outer guide track 48, pushing the lower edge of the window 12 outward and consequently swinging t-he window outward around its pivots 15. Thus, as the wind-ow 12 swings farther and farther outward from the plane of the window opening 13, 'the outer end portion of the flexible thrust Abar 37 ilexes more and more into an arcuate shape of gradually increasing curvature. The exing of the flexible thrust bar 37, in this manner compensates for the diierence in initial and final positions of the lower edge of the window 12 relatively to a horizontal plane Ithrough the lower edge of the window opening 13. Moreover, since both ends of the thrust -bar 37 are tirmly held in position along their respective guide tracks 43 and 48, at no time does either end of the thrust bar 37 project freely or offer any hazard to passersby as a result of such projection. The roller axles it? and I415 at the inner and `outer ends of the operating bar 37 tit loosely into their respective holes so as to pro-vide sufficient clearance or play for the tilting of `the axle rela-tively to the thrust bar 37. The outer ends of the axles 4i) and 45 are enlarged to retain them in position.

The modified `window thrust bar, generally designated 51, shown in Figures 6 and 7 is for the same purpose as the window yoperating bar 37 of 4Figures l to 3 inclusive and is used in the same loca-tion. The modified window thrust bar S1, however, is of composite construction consisting of a substantially rigid inner -bar 52 to the outer end of which is secured as at 53 `a ilexible or resilient outer bar S4 of spring steel or the like. The outer end of the outer iiexible bar 54 is drilled to receive the axle 5S of an outer roller 56 lwhereas the inner end of the inner rigid bar 52, immediately beyond its `bent por-tion 57, is drilled to receive the axle 58 of an inner roller 59.

The operation of the modified window thrust bar 51 is generally similar to that of 'the wholly flexible thrust bar 37' except that only the outer bar 54 tlexes as the window is swung outward in 4the manner previously described, the inner bar 52 remaining rigid during the entire operation. As the window 12 is swung outward in the manner previously described, `the outer roller 56 travels along the outer guide track 48 while :the inner roller 59 travels along the inner guide track 43. The remainder of the operation is substantially the same as that described above in connection with Figures l lto 3 inclusive.

The modified window opera-tor, generally designated 66, shown in Figures 4, 5 and 8, is connected to a window frame 11 and window 12 of the same construction as described in -connection ywith lthe window assembly 16 shown in Figures 1 to 3 inclusive and similar members consequently carry the same reference numerals. The gear box '23, operating arm `32 and the gearing 28, 30 contained in the hollow housing 22 are yalso `substantially `the same as described in connection with Figure 2, hence similar reference numerals are likewise employed.

In the modied window operator 60, however, the thrust bar 61 is of composite or compound construction having an inner end portion `62, an intermediate portion 63, and an outer portion 64. The inner portion 62 (Figure 5) is in the form of a Ibent member having youter and inner parallel portions 65 and 66 and an inclined intermediate portion 67. The inner portion 66 is drilled to receive the axle 68 of a roller 69 which travels to and fro in the elongated i'slot 70 of an inner gu-ide ltrack or channel 71 secured as at '72 to the window frame `11, whereas the outer portion 65 is riveted or otherwise secured as at 73 to the inner end of the intermediate portion 63.

The intermediate portion `63 is in the `form of an inverted outer guide track or channel having an inverted elongated T-slot '74. The outer end portion of the outer guide track 63 is riveted or otherwise secured as at 75 to the inner end of the outer thrust -bar portion 64. The `latter is likewise drilled `to loosely receive the lower end of the pivot pin y76, the upper end of which 4is rigidly seated in a hole 77 in the lower edge of the window border structure. The outer end of the operating arm 32 is drilled to receive -the axle 78 of a roller 79 which travels in t-he T-slot .74 of the outer guide track 63.

In the operation of the window operator 69, let it be assumed as lbefore `that the window 12 is in its closed position within the opening 13 and therefore substantially in the plane of the window trarne 11. To open the window, the opera-tor again turns the crank 27 in such a direction as to again swing the operating arm `32 in a clockwise direction about its pivot pin 33. This action swings the thrust bar 61 in a clockwise direct-ion around its pivot pin 76, `and at the same time, the roller 69 on the inner end of the thrust bar 61 travels Ito the left along the Tslot 70 in the guide track 71 as the roller 79 travels inward along the T-slot 74 of the outer guide track 63. This action accordingly swings the window `12 outward around its pivot pins or hinge pins y15 as before.

It will be observed by a comparison of Figures 2 and 4 that the window thrust bars 37 and 61 are inclined in opposite `directions between the window frame and the window, namely from left to right in Figure 2 and from `right `to left in Figure 4. It will =be obvious, however, that either of these Abars `37 or 61 may be inclined in either of the directions shown in Figures 2 and 4, as desired.

What I claim is:

1. A window operator for swinging a border member of an outwardly-projecting window relatively to the frame of the window opening, said operator comprising an elongated thrust bar member having a resilient portion adapted to bend arcuately during the swinging of said window outward from said frame, a rst elongated guideway mounted on said fratrie, a rst slider mounted on the inner end of said thrust bar member in sliding engagement with said rst guideway for travel therealong, the outer end of said thrust bar member being xedly pivoted to said border member, a second elongated guideway mounted on the inner portion of said thrust bar member, a pivot mounted on said frame, a window-operating arm member pivotally mounted on said pivot and pivotally connected to said thrust bar member intermediate the ends thereof, a second slider mounted on the outer end ot said arm member in sliding engagement with said second guideway for travel therealong, said arm member having an arcuate portion with gear teeth thereon disposed concentric With said pivot, a gear meshing with said teeth, a shaft rotatably mounted on said frame and drivingly connected to said gear, and a rotary handle operatively connected to said shaft.

2. A window operator for swinging a border member of an outwardly-projecting window relatively to the frame of the window opening, said operator comprising an elongated thrust bar member having a resilient portion adapted to bend arcuately during the swinging of said window outward from said frame, a first elongated guideway mounted on said frame, a first slider mounted on the inner end of said thrust bar member in sliding engagement with said rst guideway for travel therealong, the outer end of said thrust bar member being xedly pivoted to said border member, a second elongated guideway mounted on the inner portion of said thrust bar member, a pivot mounted on said frame, a window-operating arm member pivotally mounted on said pivot and pivotally connected to said thrust bar member intermediate the ends thereof, a second slider mounted on the outer end of said arm member in sliding engagement with said second guideway for travel therealong, said arm member having an arcuate portion with gear teeth thereon disposed concentric with said pivot, a gear meshing with said teeth, a shaft rotatably mounted on said frame and drivingly connected to said gear, and a rotary handle operatively connected to said shaft, the inner portion of said thrust bar member carrying said second guideway being of substantially rigid construction and the outer portion thereof connected to said border member being of resilient construction.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,022,036 Haberstump Nov. 26, 1935 2,185,321 Thoma Ian. 2, 1940 2,226,376 Harrison Dec. 24, 194() 2,505,912 Reynaud May 2, 1950 2,528,572 Bancroft Nov. 7, 1950 

